1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a frame system for the presentation of a display object such as photographs, paintings, certificates, and the like, and, more particularly, to a frame system in which a display object may be easily positioned, protected, and removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Objects to be displayed are generally considered valuable by their owner and it is important to their owner that they be displayed in a manner which will both protect them and enhance their presentation.
There are numerous disclosures of advances in the field of frame systems over the years. Typical of disclosures of successive generations are, in sequence, U.S. Pat. No. 1,338,441 to Haley which issued Apr. 27, 1920, U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,354 to Winslow which issued Oct. 21, 1952, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,031 to Meur which issued Mar. 12, 2002. An allied field of endeavor concerns the mounting of photographic transparencies which often require similar concepts for rapidly positioning, protecting, and removing the subject matter to be presented. In this regard, of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,903 to Christensen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,309 to Goldberg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,889 to Heim, U.S. Pat. No. 2,505,250 to Kime et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,470 to Williams.
It was with knowledge of the foregoing disclosures representative of the state of the art that the present invention was conceived and has now been reduced to practice.
The present invention relates to a frame system for object display which includes a main frame with a frame face defining an opening for viewing a display object. A peripheral wall projects away from the frame face and has first and second opposed wall segments formed with first and second female locking features, respectively. A receiving surface for the display object and an easel back selectively mountable on the main frame includes a support assembly with a planar support panel and opposed male locking features on the peripheral edge interferingly engageable, respectively, with the female locking features on the opposed wall segments when the easel back is mounted onto the main frame. The support assembly includes a central panel for biasing the display object into engagement with the receiving surface and a web member extending transverse of the planes of the central panel and the support panel and joining the central panel and the support panel.
A basic intent of the invention is to provide an economical, unique plastic picture frame and components which are injection molded, including frame face, easel back, support arm, and transparent window pane. The components are designed to fit and snap together without use of tools or additional fasteners. The frame and easel back in each instance has a simple molded-in, decoupling locking feature with positive feedback. The snap-fit is secure, yet allows for disassembly and re-use many times. Molds for the frame system components with the unique locking feature have no moving cams or lifters, which would add to cost and complexity of mold design and leave unsightly witness lines on frame face and side surfaces.
The preferred material for the frame face, polystyrene, is able to accept a large variety of colorants, so frame faces according to the invention can be transparent with or without color, translucent with or without color, opaque, glow-in-the-dark, molded-in pearlized, mottled, or transparent with glitter or other effects. The usual materials for snap-fit, decoupling plastic components for known frame designs are either much more costly than styrene or have inherent limitations on colors and effects, such as impact styrene which cannot be made transparent.
Various sizes and unique shapes of frames are possible when using plastics, such as polystyrene, which are not subject to some of the form limtations of other materials such as wood or metal.
The easel back for the frame system of the invention is designed, with the support leg removed, to be flush with the rear of the frame face so the frame can be hung flush on a wall or other upright supporting surface. The molded in hangers are located to be hidden from the front view in transparent or clear frames. Additionally, the easel back is preferably formed with a step, or recessed, such that it fits into an inside rim of the main frame, taking up the space where cardboard spacers are customarily required to hold the picture firmly against the window pane, and thereby eliminating the need for such spacers. An especially important factor with the easel back design of the invention is that the easel back drops straight down onto the main frame rather than sliding into place in the manner of many known frame systems. Such a construction makes it easier to enhance clear frame faces by filling the space around the picture or other object to be displayed with decorative materials such as silk flowers. The described construction also allows for an infinite number of shapes without requiring straight sides as would be necessarily required if the back is of the type that slides into place.
A primary feature of the invention is the locking feature which is intended to be as simple as possible. The locking feature employs molded in details on both the main frame and easel back. On the main frame, for example, the locking feature may take the form of a surface having dimensions of 0.312 inches longxc3x970.125 inches deep with an outwardly negative 3-degree angle formed in the inside surface of the peripheral wall of the main frame. Preferably, two of these locking features are placed along each long side of the rectangular or irregular shaped main frame members. Again in an exemplary but not restrictive fashion, mating male locking rib members on the easel back are 0.050 thick, and protrude from the easel back 0.006. Each rib member may have a straight wall with a 0.020 radius on the bottom face. The top of the rib member may have a square corner in order to lock with the angled female feature on the inside surface of the peripheral wall of the main frame.
Material selection for the components of the invention was a major concern, because of the requirement for the components to flex and return the male and female locking features to the normal position many times. While it is preferable for the main frame to be comprised of 100% polystyrene, the easel back component may be molded of 50% polystyrene and 50% impact styrene. The locking feature has also been designed to be capable of decoupling. Thus, the frame system is disassembled by pressing on the transparent window pane to release the easel back, remove, and add a new display object the thickness of both the easel back and main frame was also a main consideration. Walls of the main frame have to be thick enough not to fracture, while the window pane and easel back are thin enough to flex without breaking. Different thicknesses were experimented with, arriving at a preferred thickness to enable the wall to flex slightly without fracturing when inserting the easel back. The wall thickness was also critical during the molding operation. The wall had to be pliable enough to release from the 3-degree angle undercut without breaking or scraping during ejection from the mold. The wall thickness also had to be thick enough to allow it to shrink back during the curing period to the same shape as molded. This memory factor is critical to both achieving the locking fit and properly forming the components of the frame system.
Positive feedback is obtained from use of the locking feature of the invention. When the main frame and easel back components are pressed into place, the easel back is seated on two rim shelves which are incorporated in the main frame and the construction is such that a user can both feel and hear when the easel back is snapped into place.
The rear support leg is designed to be removed and re inserted easily, enabling the display object to be viewed straight up (in portrait orientation) or sideways (in landscape orientation). The easel back and support leg are also molded, preferably, of 50% styrene and 50% impact styrene.
The transparent window pane is molded of dear polystyrene. The mold gate region of the window is moved into the rim of the window, 0.045 inches, for example, to allow the gate to be snapped off and not leave any gate vestige extending beyond the rim. This manner of manufacture assures the window will fit without resistance into the opening for the display object. The same is true for the easel back and support leg.
Accordingly, a primary feature of the present invention is the provision of a frame system for the presentation of a display object such as photographs, paintings, certificates, and the like in which a display object may be easily positioned, protected, and removed.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of such a frame system in which all components are of injection molded plastic, including frame face, easel back, support leg, and transparent window pane.
A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a frame system in which all components fit and snap together without use of tools or additional fasteners.
Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of such a frame system in which the main frame and easel back have a simple molded-in, decoupling locking feature with positive feedback, being snap-fitted securely, yet allowing for disassembly and re-use many times.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of such a frame system in which a preferred material for the frame face, polystyrene, is able to accept a large variety of colorants, so frame faces can be transparent with or without color, translucent with or without color, opaque, glow-in-the-dark, molded-in pearlized, mottled, or transparent with glitter or other effects.
Other and further features, advantages, and benefits of the invention will become apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention in general terms. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the disclosure.